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The Victim Of The Beast Gravestone Mystery In Utah Still Baffles People Today

The Salt Lake City Cemetery sits high up in the Avenues, overlooking the city. The oldest grave was dug there in September, 1847 – just a few months after Mormon pioneers arrived in the valley. The cemetery became official in 1851.The Salt Lake City Cemetery is full of interesting headstones and graves.

Local residents enjoy walking through this cemetery, and people come from all over to view the various headstones. Many famous Utahns are buried here, including past governors, senators and business owners.

However, one grave that is frequently visited is that of a woman who wasn't particularly well-known before her death: Lilly E. Gray.

Elmer was an eccentric guy who had several run-ins with the law during his lifetime. He also had many conspiracy theories. He felt like the government was out to get him, and may have blamed the government for his previous wife's death.
In a legal document that he completed for the Utah Board of Pardons in 1947, Elmer states that his parents, "died of grief when kidnappers (sic) murdered my wife." On the same document, he states that "5 democrats kidnapped (sic) me." You can view the document on the Utah State Archives site here
When you look at his Board of Pardons application, you could conclude that Elmer Gray was either delusional or had a really strange sense of humor.

We’ll probably never know what Elmer meant when he placed that inscription on Lilly’s grave. He may have been insane, or he may have felt that there was some sort of conspiracy that killed his wife. So far, people who have researched this strange grave have failed to find any verifiable connection to satanism or the occult.

Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.